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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. N. GIFPORD. GAR COUPLING.

No. 457,154. Patented Aug. 4, 1891;

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No. 457,154. Patented Aug. 4, 18,91,

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* EZRA N. GIFFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO THE COLUMBIA CAR COUPLER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,154, dated August4, 1891.

Application filed March 2, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA N. GIFFORD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to car-couplers of the class in which theswinging hooks of two approaching coupling-heads will automaticallyengage each other and will then be automatically locked in themutually-grasping positions without the use of any springs or small orweak parts for such purpose.

The invention relates more particularly to certain improvements on thecar-couplers shown in United States Patents Nos. 434,865 and 444,697,granted August 19, 1890, and January 13, 1891, respectively.

The objects of this invention are to provide a coupling-head ofincreased strength; to provide a stronger and more effective pivotalconnection between the coupling-head and coupling-hooks; to provide acoupling-hook having a locking-arm of greater strength, so constructedthat the coupling action will be positive, so that the coupling-arms ofthe two couplers will engage each other in their locked positionswithoutcontact with the draw-head to provide a coupling-pin of novelconstruction, and to provide for the general utilityof the car-coupler,combining simplicity and durability of construction with efficiency ofoperation.

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in thefeatures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is atop plan view of a coupler constructed in accordance with my invention.Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations taken from opposite sides. Fig. 4 is aplan View showing two couplers locked in engagement with each other.Fig. 5 is a similar view with one of the couplers in horizontal section.Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sections of the draw-head, showing thecoupling-hook Serial No. 383,355. (No model.)

and coupling-pin in different positions. Figs. 8 and 9 are sideelevations of the couplingpin. Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the camcarried by the coupling-pin. Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the endsof two cars provided with couplers constructed in accord-' ance with myinvention, and Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section'through theend of the car and showing the coupler and devices for operating itscoupling-pin.

Referring to said drawings, A A indicate the draw-heads upon the meetingends of two cars. The construction of said draw-headsbeing similar, adetailed description ,of one will suffice. The said draw-head isprovided with a longitudinally-arranged jaw 1 and a substantiallytransversely-arranged jaw 2. The end portion of said arm 1 isbifurcated,

as shown at 3 in Fig. 2, and is recessed or provided with a cavity 4,which communicates with the cavity 5 in the draw-head.

B indicates a coupling-hook comprising a coupling-arm 6 and alocking-arm 7. The said coupling and locking arms 6 and 7 project atabout right angles from a cylindric hub 8, which fits within thebifurcated end portion 3 of the jaw 1, Figs. 2, 6, and 7. The said hub 8in its upper and lower ends is provided centrally with sockets b and b,which 8 register wit-h the sockets a and a in the bifurcated end portion3 of the jaw 1 Studs or pivots 9 and 10 are located, respectively, inthe said sockets. The said socket'a in the v upper end of the jaw andthe socket b in the lower end portion of the hub correspond in lengthwith the studs, so that when said studs are located in their respectiveupper sockets to and b the coupling-hook is free to be removed from saidjaw 1. The lower end of 0' sockets b and a are shorter than the studs,

so that when the studs rest in said sockets b and a they will alsoproject above the same and partially into the sockets a and b, there--by forming a pivotal connection between the 5 coupling-hook and thejaw 1. This pivotal connection is of great value, and is advantageousfor several reasons, among which may be noted the increased strength ofthe jaw 1,

the coupling-hook, and the pivot pin or pins, :00 and the slight lateralmovement or wabbling motion of which the coupling-hook is capableincident to a pivotal connection of this kind. To permit saidcoupling-hook to be removed from the jaw, apertures a and a are made inthe bifurcated end portions of the jaw, and

5 which register with each other and with an aperture 17 in the hub. Thesaid apertures are contracted, so as not to weaken said parts, and asmall rod or pin 12 is located within the aperture 12*. The said pin brests upon the stud 10, and the upper stud 9 rests upon the upper end ofsaid pin, as shown in Fig. 7. The upper aperture 01, is closed by asuitable plug or screw (1 By inserting a suitable instrument in thelower aperture a and pressing upwardly upon the stud 10 the latter willbe raised up into the socket b and by means of the pin b will raise thestud into the socket a, whereupon said coupling-hook can be removed. Theplug a which projects down into the socket a, prevents the accumulationof foreign matter in the socket, and also prevents the studs fromaccidentally rising to the topsof the sockets. Said plug is removed byhand or by pressure exerted thereon in 2 5' driving the studinto theupper sockets. The coupling-arm 7 of the hook B is free to swing from atransverse position to a longitudinal position within the cavity 5 ofdraw-head behind the cavity 4: of the jaw 1. This locking -arm standsnearly at right angles to the coupling-arm, so that when two of thecouplers come together and one of the hooks is in the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 1 the coupling-arm of the other hook,

3 5 which is in the positon shown in full lines in Fig. 1, will engagethe locking-arm of the former and will swing it on its pivot in theposition shown in Fig. 5 to engage the locking-pin O. The end portionsof the lockingpin 0 are preferably rectangular in cross-section, andsaid pin is flat on its plain sides and is provided with a head 11, thatserves to limit the downward movement of said pin within the slots 12and 13 in the draw-head. The

5 slots are located so that when the locking-pin stands within the samesaid pin will be in the path of the locking-arm 7 of the couplinghook.The front face of said pin is provided with angular and parallelshoulders or parallel inclined edges 14 and 15, located, respectively,at the upper and lower end portions of the said pin. Between saidinclined edges and. in the rear of the foremost edges or faces of thelocking-pin said pin has an upright bearing-edge 16, with which thelocking-arm engages. The rear face of said locking-pin is provided atits upper and lower end portions with angular and parallel shoulders orpar allel inclined edges 17 and 18, that are also parallel with theinclined edges 14 and 15. The'lower end of the pin has parallel edgesand-is provided with an opening or slot 19 for a'split key 20, thatservesto limit the upward movement of the locking-pin. The length ofthe: upper slot 12 is equal to the width of the pin just below the head11, and the front edge of said slot is chamfered downwardlycorresponding to the inclined edge 14 of the pin The length of'the lowerslot 13 is equal to the width of the body portion of the pin, and itsfront and rear edges are chamfered downwardly to an angle coincidingwith the angle of the inclined edges 15 and 18 of the pin. The said pinis capable of a limited upward and rearward movement, and vice versa,within the said slots, and in so moving the said inclined edges rideover the chamt'ered portions of said slots. The end of the locking-armis vertically flat and is rounded on one side of its end portion 21,that comes in contact with the locking-pin, which is chamfered at itspoint of contact with the lockingarm. It will be noted that by locatingthe bearing-edge 16 of the pin in the rear of 'thefo-remost edges orfaces of said pin it is possible to arrange the locking-pin nearer theforward end portion of the draw-head, and thereby shortenthelocking-arm, which serves to make the same stronger.

To the head of the locking-pin is pivoted a bail 28, having thecam-shoulders 24 resting upon the top of the draw-head. The lowest partof the cam-shoulders are shown resting upon the upper face of thedraw-head in Fig. 6, while in Fig. 7 the cam-shoulders are shown withtheir highest parts inengagement with the draw-head and the lockingpinlocated at the upper limit of its movement As a further and separateimprovement. I provide the locking: arm with an ofiset or shoulder 25,which is located on its rear face and extends longitudinally beyond theend-of said locking-arm. As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, when thelocking-arm standstransversely to the length of the draw-head thisotfset or shoulder 25 extends in the direction of and adjacent to theend of the jaw 2 of the draw-head and serves toprevent the coupling-armof the hook from getting in behind the locking-arm, since the distancebetween the end of the oflfset 25 and the jaw 2 is lessthan the width ofthe coupling-arm 6. This ofiset or shoulder25 serves the further purposeof so turning the hook on its pivot that the coupling-arm of onedraw-head will not strike the face of the other draw-head. as they 'cometogether in coupling, by reason. of the point of contact between thecoupling-arm and the offset or shoulder being so located that thecoupling-arm of one draw-head will turn around the coupling-arm of theother and assume the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 without coming incontact with the end of said draw-head.

In case the locking-pin should be broken or lost, I have provided theopenings 26, located in the draw-head in the rear of the locking-arm 7when the latter is in the position shown in Fig. 5. By placing anordinary coupling -pin within the said opening the hook will be held inits locked or closed position.

For coupling and uncoupling from either side of the cars withoutstepping or reaching between the same my device is so arranged that itwill not be affected or interfered with by the longitudinal movements ofthe draw-head in its guideways between the sills of the carriage asoccasioned by the impact or irregular strains that a draw-head issubjected to. For this purpose I secure to the sills of the car-body twohangers D at proper distances apart, each with a slot 27, inclined fromthe front toward the rear, where it leads into a recess 28, forming ashoulder 29. Through both these slots is placed a straight rectangularbar E, of a length nearly the width of the car-body and having handles30. This bar maybe swungfrom either end to move in the slotof the hangerD in that side, while the opposite hanger will provide the fulcrum. Tothe middle of this bar E is coupled so as to have a slight pivotalmovement thereon one end of a bar F, with its opposite end extendingforward under the locking-pin O. This bar F is supported at about itsmiddle bya stirrup G, secured under the car-body, and just forward ofthis stirrup G the bar F is bent to form a downwardly-pointing V 31, sothat on pulling said bar F rearward the included surface of its Vportion will slide upon such stirrup, and thereby the forward end of thebar F will be raised and will lift the locking-pin 0. Thus as long asthe bar E has both ends in their forward position, as shown by fulllines in Fig. 12, the forward end of the bar F will be depressed andallow the pin to remain at the lower limit of its movement, while byswinging either end of the bar E to rest in the recess 28 behind theshoulder 29 of one of the hangers D the bar F will be in the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 12 and the locking-pin will be lifted tobe held out of engagement with the locking-arm of the coupling-hook.After thus being uncoupled and it is desired to release the locking-pinO the bar E only requires to be-lifted out of the recess 28 and swung toits forward position, which can be accomplished from either side of thecar in an obvious manner. It will be understood, of course, that whenthe locking-pin is being operated by the bar F the bail 23 is in theposition shown in Fig. 6; but when it is de sired that the car shall notunder any circumstances be coupled to another car the bail is thrownover, as shown in Fig. 7,which will lift the locking-pin out of the pathof the locking-arm 7. In case the mechanism for lifting the locking-pinfrom either side of the car should become out of order or broken, thepin can be operated by the bail and camshoulders. If a train of carswere standing and the operator wished to uncouple them at a certainpoint andlea've before the cars separated, but have the car ready toautomatically couple onto another car, by lifting a bail until itshandle stands almost vertical the pin will be lifted enough to uncouplethe cars, and when another car bumps against it the said bail and camwill be thrown forward by reason of the impact and allow the pin tofall.

I claim as my inventionl. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having abifurcated jaw provided with sockets in the inner faces of saidbifurcated por-' tion, a coupling-hook having sockets in the ends of'itshub, studs located in said socket, a connection between said studs, andmeans for elevating one of said studs. 1

2. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a bifurcated jaw providedwith sockets in the inner faces of said bifurcated portion, acoupling-hook having sockets in the ends of its hub, studs located insaid sockets, a connection between said studs, and an opening in thelower lug of said bifurcated portion communicating with the sockettherein.

3. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a bifurcated jaw providedwith sockets in the inner faces of said bifurcated portion, acoupling-hook having sockets in the 'ends of its hub, studs located insaid sockets,

a pin passing through said hub and abutting against the adjacent ends ofsaid studs, and means for elevating the lower of said studs.

4. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a bifurcated jaw providedwith sockets in the inner faces of said bifurcated portion, acoupling-hook having sockets in the ends of its hubs, studslocated insaid sockets, a connection between said studs, and a plug or pinprojecting into the socket in the upper lug of said bifurcated portion.

5. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a bifurcated jaw providedwith sockets in the inner faces of said bifurcated portion, acoupling-hook having sockets in the ends of its hub, studs located insaid'sockets, a connection between said studs, a removable plug or pinprojecting into the socket in the upper lug of said bifurcated portion,and means for elevating one of said studs.

6. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a bifurcated jaw providedwith sockets in the inner faces of said bifurcated portion,acoupling-hook having sockets in the ends of its hub, studs located insaid sockets, a pin passingthrough said hub and abutting against theadjacent ends of said studs, an opening in the lower lug of saidbifurcated portion communicating with the socket therein, and aremovable plug or pin projecting through an opening in the upper lug ofsaid bifurcated portion into the socket therein.

7. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a pivoted coupling-hookprovided with a locking-arm adapted for engagement with a locking-pin,as described, an offset or shoulder on said locking-arm extending beyondthe end thereof, and an opening in said drawhead for the insertion of anauxiliary coupling pin or bolt, said opening being so located that thesaid coupling-pin will be located in the path of said offset orshoulder.

8. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head,

' ride over the edges of said slots, and a bearing-edge on said pin forengagement with said locking-arm, said bearing-edge being catcd'in therear of the foremost edges or faces of said locking-pin.

9. A'car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a pivoted coupling-hook havinga lockingarm, a locking-pin located in slots in the drawhead and in thepath of the said locking-arm and provided with inclined edges to rideoverv the edges of said slots, a plurality of said inclined edges beinglocated on the front face of the locking-pin and parallel to each other,and a bearing-edge located between said inclined edges on the front faceof the pin and in the rear of the foremost edges or faces of saidlocking-pin.

10. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head,

a pivoted coupling-hook having a'lockingarm, alocking-pin located inslots in said drawhead and in the path of said locking-arm and providedwith upwardly-facing inclined edges to ride over the edges of saidslots, and a bearing-edge on said pin for engagement with A saidlocking-arm, said bearing-edge being located in the rear of the foremostedges or faces 4 of said locking-pin.

, 11. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a pivoted coupling-hookhaving a lockingarm, a locking-pin located in slots in said drawhead andin the path of the said locking-arm and provided on both its front andrear faces with a plurality of inclined edges to ride over the edges ofsaid slots, all of said inclined edges being located parallel to eachother, and a. bearing-edge located between said inclined edges on thefront face of the pin and in the rear of the foremost edges or faces ofsaid locking-pin.

12. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a pivoted couplinghook havinga lockingarm, and a locking-pin located in slots in said draw-head andprovided with inclined shoulders projecting. beyond the front or hearingedge thereof, for the purpose described.

13. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a. pivoted coupling-hookhaving a lockingarm, and a locking-pin located in slots in saiddraw-head and provided with upwardly-fad ing inclined shouldersprojecting beyond the front or bearing edge thereof, for the purposedescribed.

14. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a pivoted coupling-hook havinga lockingarm, a locking-pin located in slots in said draw-heads,havingchamfered edges, and parallel inclined shoulders upon said locking-pin,a plurality of said parallel shoulders projecting from the front edge ofsaid locking-pin.

15. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head,

' coupling-hook, a locking-pin for engagement with a locking-arm of saidcoupling-hook, and

' a cam pivoted to the upper end of said locking-pin and having its camportion resting upon the draw-head, said cam being so formed that byturning it to a position between the highest and lowest parts thelocking-pin will be elevated, but the said cam will be thrown to itslowest position by the impact of two carS coming together, substantiallyas hereinbefore set forth, and for the purposes described. In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EZRA N. GIFFORD. \Vitnesses:

HARRY COBB KENNEDY, OTTO LUEBKERT.

